Fruit trees and berry plants are abundant at nurseries now, and this is a good time to plant them. You can improve the success of your fruit-tree planting by selecting appropriate varieties for our soils and climate and by preparing the planting area.

For sandy soil, incorporate 6 inches of compost into an 8-by 8-foot area around the planting spot. The compost increases the water-holding capacity of the sand.

Most of us have heavy clay, caliche soil or rocky soil. Those call for raised beds. Plant the tree in an 8-by 8-foot area bordered by used railroad ties. Fill the bed with landscape light commercial soil mix. It works especially well if a mound is formed in the center of the bed.

Irrigating with drip irrigation will also help. Each tree will eventually require four emitters that each deliver 2 gallons a minute. Put the four emitters in at planting, and water for a shorter duration when the tree is small. Another option is to use four bubblers around each tree. The bubblers are mini sprinklers that can be turned off until they are needed.

Run the drip system twice a week for one hour during dry weather.

Apples are not easy to grow in the San Antonio area, but it is possible, especially if you have sand or river-bottom soil. The apples that survive best in our area are Anna and Dorsett Golden. Plant both selections so they can pollinate each other.

Peaches are somewhat easier to grow than apples but are still difficult in San Antonio proper. Hill Country gardeners have more consistently cool weather to provide the necessary chill hours required so the peach can reload its chemistry. My favorite peach varieties for our area are Florida King, Junegold and La Feliciana. Early (low chill) peaches require less irrigation and insect and disease protection, but the quality of later peaches such as La Feliciana is higher.

It is almost impossible to grow apples and peaches without regular treatment with fungicide and insecticide. Consult plantanswers.com for recommended spray programs.

Plums are easier to grow than peaches. The most reliable plum in our area is Methley. It does best in a raised bed but does not require a pollinator. Santa Rosa is another good choice.

Pears are relatively easy to grow in our landscape. They do best on raised-bed gardens with drip irrigation but often produce fruit without a regular spray program. Consider Le Conte, Kieffer or Orient pears. A pollinator is not required.

Oriental persimmons and pomegranates are easy to grow in the area. They usually can produce a crop even if they are grown in our native soil but do perform better in a raised bed with irrigation. They do not require a spray program. Fuyu is the least astringent of the Oriental persimmon varieties.

There are many suitable pomegranate selections. I grow Wonderful and Red Silk. Ambrosia is another recommended selection.

Calvin R. Finch is a horticulturist and director of the Texas A&M Water Conservation and Technology Center. Contact him at calvin.finch@tamu.edu.